PRESS RELEASE

CHANGING THE FUTURE OF 75 FILIPINO CHILDREN

A Colorado-based nonprofit organization is coordinating its 22nd medical mission to the Philippines to provide free surgeries to indigent children

Uplift Internationale, a Colorado based nonprofit organization, is ready for its 22nd medical mission to the Philippines to provide surgical repair of cleft lips and palates to an expected 75 impoverished children at no cost. “Without our assistance, these children will likely live a life burdened by debility and shame. Most die as they were born, with their deformed faces untreated” said Dr. Jaime Yrastorza, President and Founder of Uplift Internationale.

The mission team of 34 self-funded volunteers is led by the Head of Mission, Steven Krebs M.D. This year’s activities will be conducted at the Provincial Hospital in Roxas, Philippines from February 19 – 27, 2011 at the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines. The volunteer mission members are from Colorado, Wyoming, California, New York and the Philippines. Partner hosts are the Rotary Club of Roxas, D3850 and sisterclub Rotary Club of Forbes Park, City & Provincial Government of Capiz and the Capiz Medical Society, respectively.

The project itself, named Operation Taghoy, started in 1989. Over 560 self-funded volunteer medical personnel have participated in the missions since its inception. The team efforts have provided 1,198 surgeries to children in the Philippines through Operation Taghoy. It has since become an annually organized mission of a one-week period, conducted at eight host-hospitals that are visited on a rotating basis. Locally, the support groups include Rotary Clubs, the Medical Society, and the invitation of the Provincial governance.

Five years ago, Uplift Internationale started a “sharing ownership” program with Filipino healthcare peers and supporters to establish year-round community based Taghoy Facial Cleft Clinics. Through this project, an additional 24 mending care surgeries are performed each year at the Taghoy Facial Cleft Clinic at Ormoc at no-cost to the children’s families. Uplift Internationale is in the process of creating additional clinics so that many more children may receive the life-changing care.

Uplift Internationale is supported by a local Board of Directors, donors, Rotary Clubs, foundations and a partnership with the Smile Train.

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If you would like more information or to schedule an interview with Dr. Jaime Yrastorza or Dr. Steven Krebs, please call Beth Shepherd, Executive Director, at 303-707-1361 or email Beth at info@upliftinternationale.org and or PP Megs Lunn @ +63 9285540086, Exec Coordinator, Taghoy Phils.